UN Commission on Sustainable Development

Statement by H.E. Munir Akram, Permanent Representative of Pakistan to the United Nations at the High-level Segment of the UN Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD-16) on Thursday, 15 May 2008

Mr. Chairman,

It is my pleasure to make this contribution to the High-level Segment of the Sixteen Session of the UN Commission on Sustainable Development.

2. Pakistan wishes to associate itself with the statement made by Antigua and Barbuda on behalf of G-77 and China. We would like to make the following additional comments.

Mr. Chairman,

3. The Commission is meeting at an important juncture, when we are facing a plethora of development challenges. There is a food and energy crisis in many of the poorer countries; with food prices having doubled and in some areas tripled, as also the cost of energy. We are also facing a global economic slow down; a two-year decline in ODA; a credit crisis in the world’s largest economies, accompanied by a decline in the value of foreign exchange reserves; an impasse in the trade negotiations and the danger of a new wave of protectionism. The series of commitments, reflected in the IADGs, including in Agenda 21 and the Rio Principles are far from being implemented. Simultaneously, the developing countries confront the challenges posed by climate change and environmental degradation, suffering the most from impacts for which they are the least responsible. The more frequent occurrence of natural disasters – most recently, the cyclone that hit Myanmar and the earthquake in China " add to and compound the challenge of development.

Mr. Chairman,

4. The focus of this CSD Session on agriculture, food and Africa is most timely and appropriate. The serious challenges faced by so many developing countries today to provide affordable food to their peoples, specially the poorest and most vulnerable, requires a concerted plan of action. This must include emergency actions, including humanitarian aid to severely stressed people and countries. It must also provide inputs to ensure larger food production in the near term, inter alia, to ensure supplies and moderate prices. In the longer term we need to address the underlying policy issues which have led to this food emergency in the first place " agricultural policies that maintain subsidies by the rich while eroding the food security of the poor; the availability of energy and electricity at affordable prices. The diversion of food for fuel; the generation of adequate resources and application of existing and emerging technologies to enlarge sustainable food production in the developing countries, specially in arid areas, affected by enlarging desertification.
5. We welcome the establishment of the UN Task Force by Secretary General Ban Ki-moon. We trust that it will help to evolve a comprehensive and coordinated Plan of Action at the forthcoming Rome meeting and significant political commitment at the highest level to implement this Plan of Action at the G-8 Summit and at the next UN General Assembly.

Mr. Chairman,

6. While such a comprehensive Plan of Action is required to deal with the current food challenges, it is clear that sustainable development can only be realized within a strategic framework that encompasses all its three pillars " economic growth, social development and environmental protection. Unfortunately, at this time, developing countries are being driven by circumstances and external influences, into different policy directions. On the one hand, they must seek sustained growth at fairly high levels to ensure poverty eradiation and a life of dignity for their peoples. On the other hand, they must create the social standards and infrastructure to ensure that the benefits of growth are equitably distributed and that it becomes sustainable. Simultaneously, they are obliged to respond to the impact and imperatives of climate change and environmental damage.
7. Despite the Principles, Agendas and Action Plans adapted at Rio Conference in Johannesburg and at Bali; despite the deliberations and decisions of this Commission, what is still required is the evolution of an integrated development ‘model’, which combines the realizations of the goals encapsulated in the MDGs and IADGs and the goals and principles reflected in Rio, Johannesburg, the UNFCC and at Bali.
8. This requires the concrete identification of policies for such integrated development at the national level and in concrete national contexts. Obviously, one size will not fit all. But, several "models" for such integrated development could be evolved through research and analysis at the national level in a series of countries in different development contexts " the SIDs, least developed countries, in Africa in more populous countries, energy-dependent and energy producing countries. At the same time, it is also necessary to develop a global strategic framework that ensures policy integration at the global level; enables effective monitoring of challenges and responses; and enhances coordination among contributing agencies and other actors.
9. The development of an integrated sustainable development "model" at the international level should be based on the identification of the requirements of national models, not on a prior determination based only on global findings that often ignore the priorities and constraints of the developing countries.
10. There are several areas where concerted and mutually reinforcing policies and actions are required at the international level. First, among these is Technology. Technology is essential for development. No developing country can be pressed to give up reliance on the carbon economy that is essential to ensure growth, until alternative and affordable solutions are demonstrated and made available to them. They need access to and indigenous application of technologies, notwithstanding the restrictions of the TRIPs agreement; they need help for the effective deployment of available and emerging technologies, and guaranteed access to future technologies.
11. Second, the financial flows required to ensure realization of the sustainable development ‘model’ in developing countries will be much larger than the levels envisaged in the context of the MDGs and the IADGs. The mere doubling of ODA will be grossly insufficient. The amounts anticipated to finance climate adaptation and integration are considerably higher " over 200 billion dollars annually. In this context, the recent decline in ODA is most disheartening. A concerted effort is required to evolve policies and mechanisms " both official and private " which can generate the magnitude financial resources required to provide integrated sustainable development model in the developing countries. The Doha Conference on FfD should not be artificially restricted to a review of the Monterrey Consensus; it should respond to the challenge of financing Integrated Sustainable Development.
12. Third, we need to address two institutional issues; One, how can national institutions be strengthened to enable a country to respond to an integrated model of sustainable development? Two, how can the vast array of international institutions be more effectively coordinated and efficiently managed?
13. The CSD is uniquely placed to address all these three issues " of technology, finance and governance " with its unique mandate to promote policy guidance and coordination for the realization of sustainable development. The international community must utilize this body more fully and operationally to realize its comprehensive and important mandate.
14. Pakistan looks forward to contributing to this objective and providing the model of sustainable development at the national and global levels.

I thank you, Mr. Chairman

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